United States's Tori Bowie crosses the line to win the gold medal in the women's 4x100-meter relay final during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Aug. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) David J. Phillip, AP

RIO DE JANEIRO – Four years ago, Tori Bowie could only watch the 4x100 meter relay at the London Olympics. The American sprinters that set a world record of 40.82 seconds made a lasting impression.

“Of course, I watched that race,” said Bowie, a former Southern Miss star and Sandhill native. “I watched that race throughout the year. Because that was such an amazing race.”

Perhaps no more amazing than the race run by Bowie and three teammates Friday night at the Olympic Games.

Tianna Bartoletta, Allyson Felix, English Gardner and Bowie won the gold medal in 41.01 seconds, the second-fastest time ever behind that one from 2012.

They were not sure they would be allowed to run at all after a botched second exchange in semifinals Friday. Video and photographic evidence confirmed a Brazilian sprinter impeded Felix. Brazil was subsequently disqualified.

The United States appealed and was allowed a rerun, by itself, for a spot in the final. The Americans clocked 41.77, knocking out China as a time qualifier.

Being a time qualifier relegated the Americans to the unfavorable lane 1, where turns are tight and times are inevitably slower. The development did not deny them gold, but might have cost them a world record.

“Lane 4 or lane 6, we definitely would have got it,” said Gardner, the only one of the foursome who had not previously won a medal in Rio. “Our team, we had so much … we trusted each other. The camaraderie we had was evident, obviously, out here on the track.”

While most teams were animated when coming out of the tunnel during introductions, the Americans appeared more restrained. That was intentional, Bartoletta said.

“Lane 1 is no easy lane to run in,” she said. “For me, it was definitely business.”

Jamaica won the silver medal in 41.36 and Great Britain the bronze in 41.77. The British had not medaled in this event since 1984.

Bowie could only watch the 2012 Olympics because she was not at the U.S. trials. She was waylaid by a broken jaw when hit by a bottle at a Mississippi nightclub. She wasn’t thinking about that on such a golden night.